Inheritance: Century Of Strife
by Kralizec314
Summary: Galbatorix and the Forsworn have overthrown the Order of Dragon rider's and now rule the Empire. The only hope of deposing the mad king lies in the rebel group, the Varden, who are led by Brom and Eragon Skymage, one of the most powerful dragon rider's of all time.
1. Chapter 1

Inheritance

* * *

Act 1: Brave New World

Chapter 1: The Fall Of Illiria

Behold, the land of Alagaesia! A truly wonderful land, as ecologically diverse as the people that inhabit it. Towering mountains, scorching deserts, flowing rivers, dense forests and vicious wildlife, it is a land of great beauty and terrible danger.

And the people of Alagaesia! The race of Man, who live in the west, their cities built upon the great, grassy plains and hills. The Urgals, savage and warmongering, who live in the mountain range, The Spine. The race of Dwarves, short but sturdy, who have made their halls of stone within the Beor Mountains, their mountain tops reaching up into the heavens. The race of Elves, fair and mighty in strength and magic, standing tall and proud within their cities of trees. And finally, the Dragons. The Dragons! Those magnificent creatures, soaring high upon the clouds, their scales glittering like the finest jewels within the Earth, their wings beating upon the wind, clapping like thunder, scorching fire erupting from their jaws. No race can match the Dragons, for they are old, powerful and wise, watching the mortal races from above.

Alagaesia is the land of the Dragon Riders.

An ancient Order of peacekeepers, formed from an ancient pact between the elves and Dragons, and later including the Humans, their duty is to protect the weak, uphold kingdoms and guide the lost. They are the might and power of Alagaesia.

And they have now met their end.

The fallen Rider, Galbatorix, with the help of the 30 traitors known as the Forsworn, have overthrown the Order of Dragon Riders, and now nothing can stop him from attaining ultimate power.

But the Wanderer knew nothing of this rebellion.

At the farthest edge of the eastern corner of Alagaesia stood the Dwarven outpost of Hedarth, a small, lonely collection of wooden buildings built by the Dwarves to serve as a trading hub between the Beor Mountains and the forest of Du Weldenvarden.

Snaking around the village was the Edda river, which forked off into the north and south and far east, leading to a far away land unknown to the people of Alagaesia. However, one man had made the perilous journey into the unknown, and is now making his way back home. Onward he came, the wanderer. dressed from head to foot in a ragged and filthy cloak, marred by the passage of time, like all things made. As he found his way to Hedarth, the wanderer halted and took in the sight of his home land, his cloak rippling in the wind as a sad smile spread across his face.

It was good to be home again.

* * *

"With me!" shouted King Evandar, his long silver hair billowing out across his armored shoulders, lifting his fine Elven blade over his head for all to see. "For the fallen Riders! For the fallen Dragons!"

Behind him, the great Elven horde stood, garbed in gleaming silver armor, swords and spears raised above, answered their king with a single, full-throated bellow: "For the Fallen!" they brandished their weapons and charged forward towards the enemy.

The Elves' battlecry was was answered by their enemy, an army of Human barbarians, the descendants of King Palancar, the Mad King. and at their front, leading the charge, was Galbatorix, sitting astride his Dragon slave, Shruikan, the great black Dragon roaring. And above, flew the 13 remaining Forsworn riding atop their Dragons, aglow with magical energy.

The two charging armies clashed. Though they were outnumbered, the elves's strength, speed and stamina was ten-fold that of any Human and thus, they easily cut through the charging mass of barbarians. However, despite their great strength in magic, the Elves couldn't outright sweep aside the enemy, as they were protected by Galbatorix and the Forsworn, whose power matched that of the Elves.

After the great clash, the battle quickly devolved into a free-for-all, with no apparent strategy; they were there merely to kill each other. The Dragons of the Forsworn swooped down over the battlefield, grabbing at warriors and releasing burning torrents of flame that were so great, they would have burned them to ashes if not for their magic wards.

Evandar scanned the battlefield for Galbatorix and found the traitor standing in the thick of battle, swinging the pale, white blade Islingr, the weapon that once belonged to Vrael, the leader of the Dragon Riders. watching the traitor wielding the blade of his old friend enraged Evandar, and throwing caution to the wind, he charged forward and crossed blades with Galbatorix.

"Ah, lo and behold, the King of the Elves!" Galbatorix jeered, his hawkish face twisted into a sneer, his black eyes gleaming with malice and madness. "Your rule ends this day. I will sweep aside the old world, and rebuild it anew!"

"Careful traitor," warned Evandar, sternly and with authority. "You have yet to win."

Done with their banter, the two warriors began to fight each other in earnest, their super-human strength and speed causing the blades to clap like thunder and give off great gusts of wind with every blow struck. Evandar fought Galbatorix blow for blow, never tiring nor losing in strength or speed. His Elven warriors were channeling what energy they can spare to him so that he could fight to the best of his abilities. They saw him as the best hope of defeating the traitor and he wasn't going to disappoint his beloved people.

how long they fought, he knew not, but neither combatant showed signs of tiring. When Evandar raised his sword to strike again, their was a flash of pink energy, a sign of magic cast by Galbatorix, and the blade in the King's hand shattered, leaving him with a jagged and useless weapon to defend himself. With a savage cry of victory, Galbatorix pushed Evandar to the ground and raised Islingr high above his head to cut down the king.

However, before the fatal blow could be struck, their was a bright flash of multi-colored light, and Galbatorix was flung backwards.

Evandar stared, dumb-founded, at the back of the cloaked figure standing between him and Galbatorix. Even though his savior was covered from head-to-foot in a filthy, rugged cloak, he recognized him. Or rather, he recognized the sword he was wielding.

It was the blade of a Dragon Rider.

But it was a truly unique Rider's sword. It's blade shone iridescently with all the colors of the light spectrum, matching the rainbow hue of the Dragon it was patterned after. It was a hand-and-a-half sword, with a diamond in it's pommel, held in place by 4 clawed ribs. The blade is called Minneyar, (or Memory in the common tongue) and it was the blade of a man Evandar had long-thought dead.

"You!" bellowed a raging Galbatorix, scrambling to his feet and staring at the interloper, his eyes bulging with shock and fear. "Eragon Skymage!"

With a dramatic flair, the assailant flung aside his cloak to reveal a tall, fare and handsome Elf, with shoulder length, chestnut brown hair, piercing blue eyes and a sternly serene expression on his face as he beheld the traitor. Then he turned his head to take in the sight of Evandar, disheveled and laid low to the ground, and a warm smile appeared on his face.

"Evandar Konungr," said Eragon softly, the smile never leaving his face. 'My friend, go and see to our people. I will take on the task of disciplining my wayward student."

Evandar frowned, and surveyed the battle. His army was losing; despite their many advantages over the mortal race of Man, the Elves were being pushed back by the combined magical power of the Forsworn, and the martial skill of the Human warriors. Rising to his feet, Evandar inclined his head to his old friend and spoke: "Very well, Eragon. I leave this to you."

And without another word, Evandar left the two former Dragon Riders to rejoin the battle. yes, it would be best for Eragon to put an end to this. After all, who better to stop the traitor than his old teacher?

* * *

Even as the battle raged about them, Eragon and Galbatorix stood stock-still, their blades at the ready, their wielders staring each other down in a silent battle of wills. Then Galbatorix spoke, his voice dripping with absolute hate and disgust as he took in the sight of his former teacher: "You were a fool to come here, Eragon. Even if you had not wasted away and died when I slew Ragnarok, I would have allowed you to spend the rest of your pathetic life in exile. Now, I will end you and I will no longer be the student, but the master."

Eragon raised his left brow impassively at the mention of his beloved companion, the Dragon Ragnarok. If Galbatorix sought to unsettle him, then Eragon wouldn't give him the satisfaction of a heated response. In the last 20 years, Eragon had come to peace over the loss of his Dragon and so mentioning Ragnarok won't wound him overly much.

"A master of what, exactly?" asked Eragon coolly. "With the death of Jarnunvosk, you can no longer be called a Dragon rider and so I highly doubt that anyone will call you teacher, especially with the Order laid waste. Tell me, why did you do all this? What did you hope to achieve with this little rebellion of yours, Galbi?"

"VENGEANCE!" bellowed Galbatorix, his face contorted in fury, his anger provoked by Eragon speaking of his lost Dragon, and insulting him by calling him by his kid name, Galbi. "It's your fault that she died! Yours, and the blasted Order! The Elders would horde to themselves the secrets of powerful magic, while leaving the rest of us weak! If I was but more powerful, I could have protected Jarnunvosk and she would still be here with me! And with the order overthrown, nothing can stop me from taking control of this land and instilling my authority over all things! I will forge an Empire that will last thousands of years; an Empire greater than any other!"

After his heated declaration, silence reigned between the two warriors, although the sounds of battle, and dying screams filled the air.

"Is that so?" asked Eragon softly, his eyes boring into his former student's with fiery intensity. "Tell me something; did Jarnunvosk want you to avenge her?"

"W-what?" choked Galbatorix, his tone bewildered and defensive. 'What are you getting at?"

"I remember Jarnunvosk," said Eragon, his tone firm and resolute, eyes never wavering from Galbatorix's. "She was my student, just as much as you were, and I remember how proud she was to have you as her Dragon Rider, and proud to be in the Order. What if she is watching you from the heavens above? Would she be happy to see you consumed by rage and hatred? Would she be happy to see you in your endless killing spree, hunting down the Dragons and wiping them out? Turning against your comrades and teachers? No, if she saw you as you are now, your actions would make her miserable forever; she would never be able to be at peace.

"You killed Ragnarok, Galbi. When he died, it felt like the world had ended. the world became grey and dark and colorless. My food turned to ashes in my mouth, my dreams were plagued by nightmares where I saw him die again and again and again, without end. I was like a walking corpse, an emotionless, empty creature that simply walked without thought. And yet, I came to terms with my loss. And though I can never truly be happy, I am at peace.

"Regardless of what you have done, I cannot bring myself to hate you, for to give into such a monstrous feeling is to fall into an endless cycle of violence and retribution. Ragnarok is not here with me now, but I know in my heart that he would not want me to avenge him, rather, he would want me to stop you. stop you from causing more death and pain and misery. Stop you from tearing apart loved ones in your quest for vengeance and power.

"Vengeance is the desire of a man lash out at others to ease their pain and guilt. You, who cannot bare the guilt of failing to protect you Dragon, would simply shift the blame onto your enemies to justify your actions. It is not vengeance that I seek, but justice. And it is justice that I will mete out to you this day, Galbatorix!"

Eragon could see Galbatorix's face grow uglier and uglier throughout his long-winded speech. And then his rage erupted like a volcano. "You self-righteous cretin!" he screamed, spittle flying from his mouth, eyes bulging. "How dare you stand there and spout nonsense! You speak to me as though I am a filthy slug, crawling in the mud, while you behave as though you are better than me! As though you are more noble! Our predicament is the same; how can you not hate me?!" Lunging forward, Galbatorix swung Islingr at his opponent; Eragon parried his strike with Minneyar, their blades locking at the cross guards.

"Yes, we are the same, " agreed Eragon calmly, as he looked into Galbatorix's hateful eyes with pity and understanding. "We were both dragon Riders, and we have both loved and lost."

The two broke apart and the battle between master and student began. The duel was long and brutal, with neither warrior conceding defeat. As skilled as Galbatorix was, Eragon had centuries of experience to draw on, and he was in the right mindset for the duel; he was calm and collected, carefully analyzing his opponent's technique and spotting weaknesses to exploit. Galbatorix, on the other hand, was still enraged from their discussion, and kept blindly charging at Eragon, relying on raw power to enhance the strength of his blows. But Eragon had a vast amount of energy stored within Minneyar's diamond, allowing him to match his student's overwhelming power, which was already heavily depleted from his duel with king Evandar.

Parrying a blow from Islingr, Eragon twisted Minneyar and scored a cut on Galbatorix's right shoulder, drawing blood. Before he could swing his blade once more, Eragon was thrown backwards by Shruikan, who had flown in between the two combatants, shielding Galbatorix from further harm. Before Eragon could retaliate, Shruikan grabbed Galbatorix with his great claws, and flew away to safety.

"Retreat!" came King Evandar's voice, thunderously ringing across the battlefield in the Ancient Language, heard by all warriors above the din of battle. "The Forsworn are too powerful; we must retreat to Du Weldenvarden!"

Eyes sweeping across the battlefield, Eragon saw the Elves abandon their fight against Galbatorix's followers, sheathing their weapons, hastily retrieving their dead and wounded. Eragon sighed and sheathed Minneyar, joining the retreating Elves, who began to sing an enchantment to aid the army in the retreat. They fled eastwards, towards the Hadarac desert. Then they will go north, to the forests of Du Weldenvarden, the domain of the Elves.

The battle for Illiria was over, but for Eragon, the war was merely beginning.

* * *

**Author's Note. This is officially my first Fanfic, so be gentle. NO FLAMING! **


	2. Chapter 2: The Fall Of The Riders

Inheritance

* * *

Act 1: Brave New World

Chapter 2: The Fall Of The Riders

Several leagues away from Illiria, past the fringes of the Hadarac Desert, the remnants of the Elven army made camp. There, the wounded were treated and the dead were tended to, the blood and grime cleaned from their bodies. And hanging over the camp, like a dark cloud, was an overwhelming sense of failure, as the Elves mourned their losses and contemplate what will become of the world with Galbatorix and the Forsworn victorious.

In the command tent, King Evandar surveyed his old friend, Eragon Skymage, who sat before him in a lazy, indolent manner which many Elven nobles would disapprove of; but Evandar didn't mind, as he was more or less used to Eragon's 'ignorance' of Elvish customs. Evandar was more concerned over the changes in his friend's behavior: Eragon was well known for being ever-cheerful, with a wide devil-may-care grin plastered on his face at all times, his smile able to light up a funeral. Now, his face seems set in a permanently calm and serene expression, his eyes world-weary and grim, brimming with wisdom and compassion.

It was a remarkable change, but was it good or bad? And how much of his old friend was in there?

"Eragon," said Evandar cautiously, worried at upsetting him. "What happened twenty years ago? When the Rider's found Ragnarok's corpse, we all feared the worse. What happened, and where have you been?"

Eragon regarded Evandar with his piercingly grave eyes for a moment, and then his face settled into a characteristically bored expression, which put Evandar at ease; some things never change, he thought wryly.

"Well, as I'm sure you know, it was twenty years ago that Galbi came out of the Spine, insane over the death of his Dragon, Jarnunvosk. When he was recovered by the Riders, I tried to help him the best I could, but he resisted me every step of the way, that stubborn PILLOCK! He was adamant that retrieving a replacement dragon would solve his problems, and when the Elders denied his request, he blamed me for failing as a teacher and swore vengeance. After that, things went from bad to worse. He convinced a sympathetic Rider, by the name of Kano, to help him in his quest for vengeance. Kano, inexperienced and weak-willed, readily agreed and killed on of the Elders. And then, Galbi betrayed his ally and fled into the wilderness."

Eragon paused, his face twisted into a pained expression as he reminisced over the actions of his student, who he loved like a son. " After Galbi fled, Ragnarok and I were assigned to track him down and capture him, so that he would be publicly tried and executed for his crime on Doru Araeba. After three months, we found him skulking about the Beor Mountains. Unfortunately, he wasn't alone. He was accompanied by a Shade, Durza and two of the Forsworn."

"Forsworn?" asked Evandar in confusion. "That cannot be right; Morzan was the first of the Forsworn and he was recruited over ten years ago. how could their be Forsworn then?"

"Your confusion is understandable," said Eragon. "This was not known by many outside the Order, but their have been many traitors from within the Order over the centuries. Some of these traitors are those who seek to use their power for their own gain, others merely want to live life their own way without their obligations as Dragon Riders weighing them down, but for whatever reason, they are branded with the name 'Forsworn' and are actively hunted down. The Dragon Rider's like to maintain the image of infallibility and so, the knowledge of traitors from within the organization is closely guarded."

Evandar nodded, understanding. "So what happened next?"

"Well, Ragnarok swooped down on Galbi, expecting to fight him alone, only to fall victim to his ambush," continued Eragon, his voice sounding rather proud at his student's cunning. "The Shade, Durza his name was, I think, he was a mean bastard, but I dealt with him quickly and easily, surprisingly. I cut him in half, disembodying him. The two Forsworn, and Galbi himself, that was a greater challenge. One of them was an Elf named Angmar, and he was bonded to a black Dragon named Alduin. The other was a Human named Mordred, bonded to a Dragon named Amathea. Galbi was no pushover either, despite having no Dragon to back him up.

"So, while Ragnarok fought off Alduin and Amathea, I had to test my skill against three very powerful dragon Riders. They pushed me harder than I've ever been pushed before, but after much struggle, I managed to fatally wound Mordred, causing Amathea to go into a blind rage, allowing Ragnarok to tear out her throat, killing her. Ragnarok then turned his attention solely on Alduin, who was roughly the same size as him. Meanwhile, I was quickly tiring from the combined attacks of Galbi and Angmar. But after a bold but desperate maneuver, I was able to slip past Angmar's guard and run him through the gut with my sword, killing him. And that's when it happened.

"While I was busy finishing off Angmar, Galbi snuck away and charged at Ragnarok, who was distracted by Alduin. Galbi managed to reach Ragnarok's soft underbelly and stabbed through with his sword, plunging through into the heart and killing him. when that happened, I blacked out. I can remember screaming like a madman, charging at Galbi, falling on him with the fury of a thunderstorm, his sneering face taunting me. Eventually, I overpowered him and pushed him down a very steep hill, and he disappeared among the thick trees. I was ready to go after him, but Alduin, enraged like I was, came at me with tooth, claw and fie, seeking to utterly destroy me. We fought like wild animals, giving each other no quarter, until I struck him down and cut him up, piece by piece, until their was nothing less."

'Eragon..."

"Hey, hey, hey," grunted Eragon, annoyed. "What's with that look on your face? I don't need your pity or your sympathies. it's all in the past now."

"My apologies, Eragon," replied Evandar, his sorrowful expression smoothing out to be replaced by an impassive look. "This explains what happened to Ragnarok, but not where you have been for the last twenty years."

"Oh, tight, about that. After Ragnarok died, I simply took to wandering about. I needed to get far away from everything, away from known civilization, so I made my way up the Edda River and followed it out to the lands beyond."

"What's out there, Eragon?" asked Evandar curiously. The lands beyond have always been a source of fascination for the Elves, but to date, known have ever survived the perilous journey into the unknown.

"Nothing much, except for the first few leagues. The Edda River goes on for many, MANY, leagues, until it runs down to a massive canyon, full of large, furry bat-like creatures that feed on the bizarre fruits growing on the trees decorating the canyon-top." Eragon's expression soon brightened. "But then, past the canyon lies a lovely land called Andoria."

"Andoria? I take it that was the name chosen by it's inhabitants?" At Eragon's enthusiastic nod, Evandar asked again: "What manner of creatures live over there?"

"Well, the wildlife were something fierce, I can tell you that," stated Eragon fondly. While I could give you a quick overview of all the creatures that live their, I think I should just skip over to the civilized Races. is that acceptable?" at Evandar's nod, Eragon continued. There are two civilizations inhabiting Andoria; The Saiyans, and The Formiks. And for the past two thousand years, they've been trapped in a perpetual state of war.

The Saiyans are very similar to the Humans, but they have a monkey's tail sticking out of their backsides. A select few are capable of using magic, and they are gathered together to serve as peacekeepers, much like the Dragon Riders. Culturally, they are similar to Urgals, as their society revolves around earning glory in battle, not against each other, but their enemy, The Formiks.

"The Formiks are the most unique Race I've ever seen, as they are a species of large insects, split off into different social castes, like ants and bees. There is the Queen, the mind and soul of the Hive. There are the workers, who build their cities and tend the farms. There are the Warriors, who fight their battles and protect the Hive. And there are the Archons, those gifted with magic.

"What is truly unique about them, is that The Formiks are a Hive-Mind: the lower castes have no will of their own, rather, only the Queen does, directing the Hive as they they were an extension of her own body. Killing the Queen destroys the mind and soul of the Hive, and so they don't consider the deaths of individuals to be a big deal.

"Andoria is a land full of many wonders and terrors, all of which I've spent the last twenty years studying, and I would have remained their had I not felt a compulsion to return to Alagaesia."

Evandar understood. throughout their long friendship, Eragon had developed a knack for appearing in the right place at the right time. Vrael and Umaroth believed that it was because Eragon is highly attuned to the will of Destiny, and is able to discern it's workings. It was that reason, Eragon had once told him, that he took Galbatorix as an apprentice, despite never having taken a student before: he could sense that Galbatorix had a great Destiny and sought to help him attain his full potential. Great Destiny, indeed, thought Evanar bitterly.

"And so, I return to my home land to find the Order overthrown by my rebellious student," snorted Eragon, his tone scathing. "I'm not surprised, not surprised at all; I always knew that the Order was going to fall like a stack of cards. It was inevitable."

'Eragon," warned Evandar, his voice cold and stern. "now is not the time to say 'I told you so.' "

"Oh, but I think it is, Evandar," declared Eragon loudly. "I told those fools, over and over again, that they had grown too arrogant and complacent. The Order had grown so powerful that they thought that nothing could challenge them, that nothing would DARE challenge them. I tried to point out to them the weaknesses in the Order, tried to get them to set up a few reforms in the system, but they dismissed my concerns, called me overly paranoid. And now, look what has happened: an Ancient Order of peacekeepers, overthrown by a handful of traitors!"

"Do not be so harsh, Eragon," pleaded Evandar. Vrael and Oromis heeded your concerns and took them to heart."

"They listened, but they still did nothing!" Eragon sighed, done with his outburst. "So, how did all this happen? How has Galbi grown so powerful, that not only could he overthrow the Order, but challenge the combined might of the Elven people?"

A pained expression passed on Evandar's face, and when he spoke, his voice was weighed down with grief. "The Dragons, Eragon. His power, and that of his followers, come from the might of the Eldunari."

Eragon's eyes widened with understanding and horror. The Eldunari, or the Heart of Hearts, are a jewel that exists within a Dragon's body. Should a Dragon so desire, it can transfer it's soul into the Eldunari, so that when the body dies, the Dragon lives on within the jewel. "Tell me everything you know, Evandar."

'Ten years ago, Galbatorix emerged from hiding and gained a disciple," stated Evandar. "His name is Morzan, a student of Oromis and Glaedr. Morzan and his Dragon assisted Galbatorix in stealing a Dragon hatchling from Illiria, and together they fled into the wilderness. During the years afterwards, Galbatorix bent the Dragon hatchling to his will and named him Shruikan. He also taught Morzan many Dark Spells, in preparation for their rebellion against the Order. When it began, we don't know, but if I had to guess, i'd say it started three years ago when the disappearances began."

"Disappearances?"

"Aye. Riders would leave Vroengard island to patrol the land and would fail to return. Clearly, Galbatorix and Morzan ambushed these Riders, alone and isolated, fell before their combined might. The traitors also made it their goal to acquire as many of the Eldunari as they could,by stealing from the Riders, or torturing them until their Dragons disgorged their Heart of Hearts. One by one, the traitors whittled down the Order, while also recruiting, until they were joined by twenty-nine new Forsworn. With their numbers increased, the rate of disappearances increased dramatically, and with the Eldunari augmenting their power, Galabatorix and the Forsworn became all-but unstoppable. When the true extent of Galbatorix's ambition became evident, Vrael ordered all the Eldunari to be collected, from all corners of Alagaesia, and brought together to Vroengard, so that the remnants of the Order could better protect them with their combined might. A sound decision at the time, but in hindsight, it proved to be the height of folly."

"The Forsworn attacked Doru Araeba, didn't they?" asked Eragon, amazed at their daring.

"Evandar nodded, his face grim. "The Forsworn became so powerful that they were bold enough to attack the city of Doru Araeba, the very heart of the Order. There they fought and defeated the last of the Dragon Riders, their deadly magics laying waste to the island. It was a very costly battle for the Forsworn, for they lost seventeen of their comrades, but ultimately, they achieved their goal: the downfall of the Order and the acquisition of the entire hoard of Eldunari stored therein, over twelve-hundred, approximately.

"But Galbatorix was no yet done. His eyes were set on conquering the Broddring Kingdom and attaining the throne, but to do that, he needed an army. So, he sought the aid of the Kordic Tribes, the descendants of old King Palancar. I don't know what he offered them, but they have sworn their loyalty to him and under his orders, they marched upon Illiria, with the intent of deposing King Thaeron. Their task was made easier by the Dragon Riders, whose power had made conventional armies obsolete. As it is my duty to scry the land, I saw the fall of of the Riders and Illiria's impending doom and thus, I gathered what forces I could and marched to Illiria, to head off the Kordic army and avenge the Riders by killing Galbatorix. The rest, you know."

Silence reigned between the two, as they contemplated what the future would bring. then Eragon spoke: "I think that ought to be enough for tonight, Evandar. If you would excuse me."

"Of course," replied Evandar. "And Eragon? It's good to have you back."

Eragon grinned boyishly. like he used to when they were young. "It's good to be back."

* * *

**Author's Note: In canon, there were 13 Forsworn, but I decided to jack it up to an original 30, because I find it highly unlikely that such a tiny group of traitors could overthrow the entire Order, no matter how powerful they came to be. **

**This chapter serves as exposition, to give insight on Eragon's character, his past and how the Rider's fell. It also serves as EPIC foreshadowing. Foreshadowing for what: The people from the lands beyond. I didn't just stick them into this story just to give substance for this chapter, there is a reason for it. **

**Reviewer's Question from Elemental Dragon Slayer: The romance won't occur until later on,(Very Later On)because this story will span across a hunred years, so there will be a lot to cover. And I will not give out any clues, because there will be a large ensemble of characters in this story and I want to keep readers guessing. Also the OC character is the MAIN Character, Eragon Skymage. He is listed as OC because he is a very different character from Eragon Shadeslayer. That's how it is. **


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